The History Channel

1 day ago | history.com | Dave Roos

The ancient office of the pope is rich in symbols and insignia. VINCENZO PINTO/AFP via Getty ImagesPublished: April 23, 2025Last Updated: April 23, 2025In the Roman Catholic Church, the pope is the sucessor to St. Peter, who was given authority by Jesus to establish His church on Earth, according to the New Testament. The pope is the Bishop of Rome and the chief pastor of the Roman Catholic Church, which claims nearly 1.4 billion adherents worldwide.

3 days ago | history.com | Dave Roos

Visiting great museums is like stepping into a time machine. For the cost of admission, you admire priceless art and artifacts from every age of history and all corners of the globe. But the art and antiquities market has always been tainted by theft, looting and colonial-era crimes. And for too long, museums (and museum-goers) failed to ask questions about how remarkable objects were acquired.

5 days ago | history.com | Lesley Kennedy

Pre-Dawn Prayers and Biblical SymbolismThe early morning service has roots in the Bible and ancient customs. “Dawn, even pre-dawn, was the common time to wake in the ancient world,” Wilhite says. “Ancient Judaism had three times of prayer a day, including a dawn/early morning prayer.”From Christianity’s earliest days, he adds, pre-dawn prayers were a daily practice, and every Sunday was celebrated with a pre-dawn service.

6 days ago | history.com | Dave Roos

Some of history’s greatest unsolved mysteries are cases of high-profile people who disappear, with few or no clues as to what happened to them. Here are nine historic vanishing accounts that defy explanation. Charles ‘Black Bart’ Boles, aka the ‘Gentleman Bandit’In the late 19th century, one of the most famous stagecoach robbers was Black Bart, who was also known as a “gentleman bandit.” Black Bart—whose real name was Charles E.

6 days ago | history.com | Christopher Klein

From gold rushes to guerrilla wars, dynamite’s dual legacy is one of construction and destruction. Credit: Jose A. Bernat Bacete via Getty ImagesPublished: April 17, 2025Last Updated: April 17, 2025In 1868, a frail, anxious man boarded a British train, lugging a suitcase laden with 20 pounds of explosives. Though the Swedish industrialist risked prison if authorities discovered his travel bag’s combustible contents, he didn’t seek to detonate his new explosive, but to sell it.